Friday afternoons at 4pm (CST), Mother Banjo (aka Ellen Stanley) and Anthony Ihrig host the Backlog Listening Party show. They talk to musicians about a single album they have released in the past. It’s a fun way to get the back story on any song. Also they shared that Ellen has a show May at Palmers Bar with Ben Cook Feltz and Doug Collins. Tony will be hosting a workshop and how to jam at the MN Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association.
Back Catalog Listening Party started a week after the pandemic hit Minnesota and has been going strong ever since. The show is live (and archived); people can join via YouTube – and by join I means watch and post questions. They invite an artist, who picks out an album and songs from the album. They chat then collectively listen to the album. It’s so interesting to watch musicians listen to their own work.
The show is a gift to all who participate. Artists get to talk about the music they want to talk about, which may or may not be their top hits. Fans get to hear the story behind the story and ask questions. They have built a sense of community. And have a host of fun stories – like the song that seemed about young love but was really a dig at an ex-boyfriend, the song that features a Fisher Price electric guitar and who enjoys (and doesn’t) listening to their younger selves.
The series is a COVID silver lining and the continuing show is a PhD in the making connecting musicians, pianos left in studios and stories.
Mostly Minnesota 